


The Bowling Alley

by shonisclexa



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: F/F, Graphic Description, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:28:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28696959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shonisclexa/pseuds/shonisclexa
Summary: AU: Shelby and Dot are out bowling when they spot a couple wander into the building, which makes Shelby more jealous than she could've ever imagined.-Basically there's this gif going around on Twitter of Shelby watching Toni and Regan on a date so I decided I'd make a fic out of it. It's essentially Shelby being jealous that Regan is Toni's date and not her. ( also idk if I have to say this but I don't own these characters lol ).
Relationships: Fatin Jadmani/Leah Rilke, Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 18
Kudos: 227





	1. The Girl in the Brown Jacket

“This can’t be possible. There is just no way I have gotten fricking gutter balls the whole game.”

Shelby watched her purple bowling ball stumble right into its home in the gutter. She sighed and turned around, not really annoyed at the situation but still pretending to be. 

“I didn’t know you were so shit at this, Goodkind. I thought you were a goddess of everything you did.” Dot smirked through her statement, picking up her blue and green bowling ball and walking towards the lane. 

Shelby huffed and crossed her arms. “Dotty, I asked you to come here so we could have fun coming up with project ideas and getting to know each other a bit. Not for you to drag me through the dirt.”

Dot cheered and clapped her hands as she successfully got a strike with little to no effort. “That’s how it’s done, baby!”

Shelby grinned, “Dot did you even hear a word I just said.”

Dot raised her hand and waved Shelby away, moving to sit and wait for the random they were playing with to take his turn. “Dot you’re amazing at bowling, blah blah, get to know each other, blah blah, you suck at bowling. See I listen.”

Shelby’s smile grew and she sat down next to her new friend, watching the balls pop back up from the machine. “Well if you consider that listening you better get, then you better get, those ears... checked...”

Shelby trailed off mid sentence as something across the room caught her eye. Dot, who was very annoyed and confused at Shelby’s distraction turned around quickly to see what she was gawking at. As she followed the blonde’s line of sight, the only thing remotely interesting she saw was two young girls holding hands and laughing together, walking in their direction. Dot rolled her eyes. Of course Shelby would be staring at them as the girl practically slept with the Bible and grew up in a home with a fucking conversion therapist. 

Dot pushed on Shelby’s shoulder a little, redirecting her attention to herself. “Shelby stop staring at them it’s weird dude.”

Shelby snapped her head around and looked down at her lap, fiddling her hands in her lap and avoiding Dot’s gaze. She murmured something under her breath but it was too quiet for Dot to understand. “Shelby I cant hear what you’re saying. I don’t have super hearing despite what you may believe.”

Shelby inhaled sharply and looked dead in front of her, watching the scoreboard so hard she was practically burning holes in it. She then stood abruptly and strutted towards the bowling ball rack, picking up her purple ball and walking confidently to the lane. Dot leaned back more in her chair and watched with a lost expression. “What the fuck is she doing?”

Shelby stood as straight and tall as she could, and focused in as much as much as humanly possible, before releasing the ball from her hand. It sped down the lane and hit approximately one pin before tumbling into the back. Dot was astonished. That was literally Shelby’s first point of the game. 

“See that Dotty, I’m a natural.” 

Dot laughed and pointed at the scoreboard, “Blondie, unless you can somehow rack up 100 more points in two rounds, you shouldn’t be bragging about anything.” 

The insult seemed to go straight over Shelby’s head, her eyes again trained on the couple who was grabbing a pair of shoes at the counter. Dot saw this and pulled Shelby down. “Shelby! Stop. Staring.” 

Shelby pulled away from Dot and straightened back up, glancing at the couple than looking back at her friend. “I wasn’t staring, Dorothy. I just want, I just. Who is that girl? The one with the coat and the jersey?” 

Dot turned her head to get a look. She then met Shelby’s gaze, who seemed somewhat nervous. “That’s Toni Shalifoe. She just moved here or something, I don’t really know. Why do you care?” 

“She’s cute. Well no she’s not but uh, uh that jacket. I like that jacket she’s got there.”

Now Dot was beyond bewildered. She pointed at Toni, who was laughing at something the girl beside her had said. “You think that big, brown and bulky jacket is cute? You keep surprising me Ms. Goodkind.” 

“Who’s that other one.”

“Shelby what are you-“

“Who’s that other girl Toni is with? Do we know her.”

Dot snorted. “Well I know that I know her. She’s in a club with me. Her name is Regan and she doesn’t go to our school, she goes to some art school nearby and- wait why do you care? What is up with you?” 

Shelby looked curiously at the pair again before turning back to Dot. She plastered on a fake smile and walked back to her ball. “Oh nothing, I just want to make sure I know everyone in the area to get their vote for when I run for school president.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shelby and toni’s first proper conversation. and shelby being a useless lesbian.

“Goodkind, can you fucking move?”

Shelby shook her head, placing herself back into reality, and turned to see an angry Fatin Jadmini standing behind her. “I have places to fucking be, can I go?” 

Shelby rolled her eyes and moved aside, allowing the grumbling girl to go past, making a beeline directly to her girlfriend, Leah Rilke. Shelby had originally thought they were an odd pairing. The shy, introverted, writer Leah, accepting a date from the spontaneous, outgoing, cello playing Fatin. A strange duo yet they fit each other so well. Fatin bringing out a happier side in Leah, and Leah somehow seemingly taking some of the weight off Fatin’s shoulders, metaphorically and literally as Leah always lugged around Fatin’s cello for her. 

Shelby wanted that. Not an unnecessarily big cello, but someone who would care for her like that. Shelby knew she was popular and gorgeous and she was someone other girls at the school envied and guys chased after. But those guys never did anything for her. She’d only ever been on a handful of bad dates, and her longest relationship with Andrew-the-cheater was just a hot mess since date one. 

Shelby just didn’t get it. Everyone talked about love being this amazing, freeing and glorious thing, but every relationship she was in made her feel trapped. 

But then there was Toni. The girl from the bowling alley, the captain of the basketball team after only being in town for a week, the reason Fatin had pushed past Shelby. 

Ever since Shelby saw Toni she felt like she wanted to know her. She didn’t know why. She just knew she needed to know her. And she would get to know her even if it was the last thing she-

“Oh shit, sorry. Fuck sorry that was my bad. Here let me help you, Shelby? Your name is Shelby right? We’re in history together?” 

Shelby was startled to say the least. Someone had just thrown a basketball her way and knocked all her stuff out of her hands. That wasn’t the shocking part. The shocking part was looking up to meet beautiful golden brown eyes that poured into her own. “It’s uhm, it’s alright. You don’t have to worry about it, I, I got it. Thanks though, Captain. Good luck with tomorrow’s game.”

Toni smiled, standing up and handing Shelby a stack of paper’s she had caught when the blonde’s books began tumbling to the ground. “Captain? I see you keep you with your sports. You were at the bowling alley the other day when me and Regan dropped by. Anyways, you like basketball?”

Shelby faked offense and put her hand on her chest to add to the dramatics. “Pfft, do I like basketball? I love it. All the hoops, and the, the nets and, uhm those three pointers. They’re so entertaining.” 

Toni raised an eyebrow and smirked, not believing her in the slightest. “Hm, alright. Anyways, I’m so fucking sorry about the books and shit. I gotta go though or Regan will kick my ass so, see you later? I guess? I’m assuming you’ll be at the game since you’re such a fucking sports nerd.”

All Shelby could muster up was a small nod before booking it to her next class, leaving Toni smiling after her. 

-

“Teach me.”

Dot closed her locker, turning to see a panicked blonde beside her. “Hey, Dot. Hey, Shelby. It’s nice to see you. Awh it’s nice to see you, too. Hows your day been? It’s been awesome thanks. What about you-“ 

Shelby cut Dot off, normally not bothered by the mocking, but not in the mood for it today. “Dotty, I know we’ve only begun our friendship, but can we be serious for a second.”

That seemed to quiet Dot up. She stood a little taller and nodded, making eye contact with the blonde before her. Shelby sighed and smiled a bit. “Thanks, Dot.”

“Sure, Texas. What do you need to be taught?”

“Basketball. Please teach me everything about basketball.” 

Dot stared at Shelby for a couple seconds, trying to process if she was serious. And when it seemed that she was, Dot’s face broke out into a massive grin. “Dude, why the fuck do you care about basketball?”

Shelby cleared her throat and avoided eye contact with the other Texan, scared that Dot could see right through her. “Well. If you must know. I am running for school president and I want all the votes possible, so I got to thinking that maybe I should convince the sports teams.”

Dot snorted and started walking towards her next class, Shelby following very closely behind her, gripping her books against her chest so hard her knuckles began to turn white. “Shelby, just smile at the boys and you’ll get every single vote from-“

“Not from the boys.”

That made Dot slow in her tracks a bit, confusion sinking in. Why the hell did Shelby want the girl’s team vote? She was probably friends with all of them anyway so why did it matter? Dot scrunched her eyes up and looked over the blonde, but Shelby was too busy in her fantasy land to notice her friend’s change in demeanor. Dot began talking slowly, her confusion seeping into her words. “Why do you care about the girls votes? Aren’t you friends with like literally everyone here, why do you need to secure their vote?”

Shelby stopped abruptly and pointed to a class to her left. “Ah sorry to cut this short, Dotty. But my stop is right here.”

Shelby began walking away from Dot quickly, not wanting to be bombarded with more questions. 

“So, in the parking lot at 3 later?”

Shelby turned and tilted her head. “I’m sorry, what?”

Dot smiled. “Basketball lessons. I don’t know why the fuck you suddenly care about basketball but I do know I wanna kick your ass, Goodkind. See you at 3?”

“Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi sorry the first two chapters were so short im still trying to figure out how ao3 works with posting. next chapter will be a lot bigger, i can guarantee that. anyways thanks for reading and thanks for the love. feel free to comment suggestions :).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just some group fluff. im honestly having fun writing domestic unsinkable eight.

*BANG* 

“You HAVE to be joking, Shelby. There is literally no fucking way you’re worse at basketball than bowling.”

Shelby let out a huff, jogging after the ball that had just slammed into the rim of the basketball net. Dot stood with her arms crossed, watching with an amused expression as Shelby chucked the ball and missed another shot. “Blondie, these are practically the easiest shots you could make.”

“You know, Dottie, not all of us are born with super abilities to play every sport like some kind of god,” Shelby replied, annoyance slightly lacing her tone as she wiped a layer of sweat off her forehead.

Normally Shelby wouldn’t mind fooling around with Dot, mindlessly playing a game she didn’t understand. But right now, she wanted, no she needed, to get this right. She’d been clinging onto every basketball term Dot had said, and had been trying to hard to improve at the sport, even though she continuously failed. Shelby spun the orange ball around in her hand, looking at the net and preparing to throw it again. She heard Dot shouting in the background about her stance, but Shelby was too frustrated to listen. The blonde tossed the ball, letting it slip from her hands, hoping it would at least get a little bit close to going in. 

“Damn Goodkind, nothing but net, aye?” 

Shelby turned around, a smile covering her face as she met Fatin’s gaze. Fatin had walked up from the parking lot, a duffel bag in hand, with Leah trailing behind her. Shelby sent Dot a confused look. She had assumed Dot and her would be the only ones playing. The other Texan lifted her hands in defense and pointed at Fatin. “Hey listen I didn’t invite them. They just showed up on their own.”

Leah gave a small smile when she saw the shocked looks on the other girls faces. The brunette closed the book she was reading and took a couple steps towards them. “Hey, uhm, sorry we didn’t give you a heads up. Fatin said you were in dire need of assistance, Shelby.”

Shelby shot Dot a glare but Dot shrugged, not understanding. Fatin groaned, upset that none of them had understood how she knew. “God, you’re all dumb. Ever heard of Snapchat? It’s a thing and it’s glorious. I saw my buddy Dot posting some god awful boomerangs of blondie over there, and figured you needed some guidance from a professional.”

Dot doubled over in laughter, and Shelby stood in humiliation. Did Toni have Dot’s private story? Did Toni know Shelby lied about her knowledge on basketball? Did Toni see her look like a hot, sweaty mess right not? Did Toni-

“Hey? Earth to Shelby? You want my help or no?”

Fatin was snapping her fingers at Shelby who had gone into her own world. Shelby shook her head and looked over at Fatin. “Oh lord, sorry. I really do appreciate y’all coming out all this way to help me, but I think I’ve got it down.”

Fatin groaned and sat in Leah’s lap, the other girl just adjusting herself so she could continue working on her homework, seemingly unbothered by her girlfriend using her as a chair. Fatin kicked her duffel bag and looked up at Shelby. “So I came all this way just for you to be perfectly fine?”

Shelby gave a little smile and rocked on her heels. “I guess so. I mean, now I feel all bad that you came out here. Thanks for coming out here by the way, I don’t know why you did that.”

Leah smiled at that, flipping a page in her book. “What a lovely thought, Shelby. This one over here felt bad about being bitchy to you earlier and wanted to make it up to you. And I guess basketball is the way to a women’s heart.” 

“Oh, well it’s alright. I know we all have our moments. I do feel bad that you trudged all the way over here just to get nothing out of it.” Shelby was gathering her stuff, the more she started to relax the more the exhaustion of playing for 3 hours straight set in. 

Dot, who was all packed and ready to go pointed to something on her phone. “There’s a new pizza place downtown if you guys want to grab something. I know I’m starved from teaching this one.”

Fatin looked at Leah who shrugged, then looked to Shelby. “I mean I think we could eat.”

Shelby grinned. “Well that’s just great. As a thank you for driving all the way out here, pizza on me.”

Fatin’s face lit up but Leah patted her leg and shook her head. “Fatin, babe, we’re contributing to the pay. We did just crash their practice so I think it’s only fair we cover our share.” 

Fatin huffed but smiled softly as Leah kissed her lightly. Shelby watched in awe, her own features softening. She wanted that. She wanted someone who knew her better than anyone else, she wanted someone there to help balance her out. And Shelby was so very jealous of the couple, and she knew she was staring, she knew Dot was probably thinking Shelby was having homophobic thoughts, but Shelby was so lost in her own mind that she didn’t care much. The blonde knew in that moment, she had never wanted something so badly, and she wanted it with a girl, a thought that she was still coming to terms with. 

-

Shelby laughed, watching as Leah shoveled down the rest of Fatin’s fries as she was grabbing her wallet from the car. Dot snorted and shook her head. “You have some fucking guts, Leah. If I ever did that I think she’d slice my hand off.”

Leah shrugged and smiled, “Girlfriend benefits. If I eat her fries, I won’t have my hand chopped off.”

The three girls laughed, all of them full from devouring a large pepperoni pizza and platter of fries. Fatin walked over and caught on to the ends of their laughter. “What’s so funny?”

Dot wiped her hands on her napkin and stood. “As much as I’d love to see you yell at Leah, I have to go to the bathroom.” 

Leah grinned and quickly stood as well, “I have to pee too. We’ll be right back.”

The two girls sped off, leaving an amused Shelby and a slightly confused Fatin. But once Fatin sat down and noticed the lack of fries on her plate she smirked and crossed her arms. “Damnit Leah. Now I have to hear about her stomach aches later.”

Shelby chuckled to herself. The blonde hadn’t eaten much herself, just one slice of pizza and a couple fries. She had been in her own world the whole time, too infatuated with her own thoughts to keep up a conversation. Fatin picked up on the mood change, and flicked a crumb at Shelby. 

“What the hell- Fatin!” 

Fatin just lifted her eyebrows and smiled, “What? You’re spacing out on me.”

Shelby sighed and leaned her elbows on the table, looking anywhere but Fatin. “Yeah well, I’m just a little worn from all the basketball.”

Fatin wasn’t buying it but decided to play along, not wanting to push the other girl. “Basketball huh? That’s new. I didn’t see you as a sports person.”

Shelby sighed and looked up at Fatin for a brief moment. “I’m not normally. Me and Dotty just like bowling on occasion.”

“Then why are you so invested in fucking basketball?”

Shelby rubbed her neck and suddenly became very invested in the pen lying on the table. Fatin unfolded her arms and moved towards Shelby a bit. “You don’t have to say anything if it’s-“

Shelby wore a fake smile and patted Fatin’s hand in assurance. “Pfft. No I’m completely fine. 100%. I’m just, running for school president and I need to win everyone over, even the basketball players.”

Fatin scoffed and looked at her nails, seemingly unpleased with them. “Girl please. You’re not even running for school president I don’t know why you keep telling people that.”

Shelby’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped for a split second before she regained her composure and cleared her throat. “I don’t know how you know that, but, it’s not true.”

Fatin smiled, “Hey don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Now cmon, why do you give a shit about basketball?”

Shelby hesitated a moment, debating on whether to tell the other girl or not. She wasn’t afraid that Fatin would tell everyone she had a thing for girls, she was more afraid of solidifying her reality. As she opened her mouth to reply, Dot shoved the blonde over, taking a seat beside her in the booth. “Alright now that I’ve peed, I think I’m good to go.” 

“Me too.” Leah didn’t bother sitting down, figuring they’d be leaving soon anyway. Shelby nodded and stood, looking around for her wallet as the waiter approached. After paying for the meal, which Leah tried desperately to cover partially for, but Shelby ignored her, they all walked over to their cars, sad that they were leaving each other.

Fatin leaned against her car, Leah already huddled in the passenger seat. “Honestly I have no idea how your parents managed to be stricter than mine, Shelby.”

Shelby let out a sad laugh. “You would be surprised.”

After a few moments of silence Dot clapped her hands together and opened her car door. “Well this is depressing. I’m going to bounce, see you guys tomorrow? At the basketball game? I heard Toni is going to be able to play this game, she just got her suspension lifted. She is going to destroy them all.”

Shelby perked up at the mention of Toni, which Fatin caught onto but didn’t speak on. Shelby cleared her throat and waved. “Alright then. Thanks for joining me everybody. See you at Toni’s game.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi so. next chapter will 100% have shoni i swear. im trying to build up to it and create a friend group and atmosphere for shelby so i can work with the plot more, i hope y’all don’t mind. angst next chapter cause that’s what im best at :). ty for reading feel free to drop some comments.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> angst cause i wanted to write angst LMAO. tw // homophobia and violence for this chapter.

Toni looked at herself in the mirror of the bathroom she had run into. Fucking idiot. Shelby Goodkind’s stupid ex just had to walk into Toni’s last period and fuck up her good record.

It has been a little while since Toni Shalifoe had gotten into a fight with anyone. To be fair she had been suspended so it wasn’t like she could fight anyone, but she had had a good run for a bit when she came back.

That didn’t last long though, as Andrew the fucking shithead sat down next to Toni in her chemistry class.

“Fuck off, Andrew. I’m not trying to get into a fight right now,” Toni didn’t even look up to see him, she knew he would be wearing a shit eating grin, hoping to poke the beast.

“Cmon, Shalifoe. It’s been what? Six days since you’ve had any brawls with anyone, lighten up.”

Toni used her leg to push his chair as far away from her as possible, already beyond annoyed at the sound of his voice. 

He just stood up then, hovering over Toni’s desk. “Wow not even a witty response? I’m flabbergasted.”

Toni scoffed. “And I’m surprised you know a word longer than five letters.”

“And I’m surprised they still let a dyke walk around like it’s no big deal. It’s gross.”

That hit a nerve with Toni, the pen she was holding snapping in her fist. A mixture of ink and a bit of blood trickled down her arm, as she turned to face Andrew. “If another fucking words comes out of your mouth, I’ll kick your fucking ass I swear to god.”

Andrew leaned towards Toni more, his clothes reeking of distasteful cologne. “I wouldn’t be saying that if I were you. You have that game tonight, right? So even if you just put a finger on me you’re done. Also didn’t that pretty little bitch girlfriend of yours say she’d end it if you did something like that again.”

Toni rose from her seat so quickly her chair crashed backwards into the desk behind her. She didn’t care. Toni practically jumped her desk, tackling Andrew to the ground as she went. 

He was laughing the whole time, finding the whole situation super amusing. Toni wasn’t having it though. She threw one punch at his nose and a crack rung through the classroom.

All the other kids just stood around, not exactly sure how to assess the situation. If Toni Shalifoe was pissed off, nobody wanted to do anything to irritate her even more.

“You’re a fucking asshole, Andrew. You’re fucking lucky you’re rich because if you weren’t you’d been kicked out of here ages ago. Fucking bitch.”

Andrew’s nose was gushing, blood covering his face, but he was still laughing. “You’re right. But they won’t kick me out, so I can say and do whatever I want to do you fucking psycho bitch.”

Toni punched him again in the nose, and that one seemed to shut him up. It also seemed to sufficiently break his nose.

After the loud crack of his nose echoed around the room, Toni looked at her fist, seeing it covered in someone else’s blood. 

Fuck.

She had to get out of there before her teacher came back from the bathroom. She had to get out before her coach found out. Before Regan found out. Before Martha found out. 

And that’s how Toni found herself in the bathroom. Her eyes swollen and puffy from crying, and her knuckles bloody and burning.

The basketball captain was trying desperately to wipe the blood off her hand, but she was shaking so much from crying that it was nearly impossible. “Cant even wash youre own fucking hands, Shalifoe.”

“What was that?”

Of course it was her. Of course Shelby had to walk in when Toni was at her lowest and weakest point. 

Toni didn’t hate Shelby, well she didn’t think she did. She was trying really hard to be nice to the girl, but also try to forget her existence at the same time. 

Ever since Toni had moved here Shelby had been giving her weird vibes. Like at the bowling alley, the blonde could not peel her eyes off of herself and Regan. It was weird.

And she also defended her homophobic asshat of a boyfriend for a while, claiming that he just had a bad home life. But Toni couldn’t for the life of her understand how that justified the boy’s actions.

Toni grumbled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hands. “Nothing, Shelby. Can you leave me alone?”

Shelby put her hands up and smiled a little, trying desperately to relive some of the tension that had formed. 

When Toni continued to do nothing except stand like a brick wall and stare at her hands, Shelby spoke again. “Are we all good? We’ve talked a couple times and you seem nice enough, you alright?”

Toni gripped the rim of the sink with her one hand. She had been trying to be nice to Shelby. She knew Shelby was the most popular and loved girl at the damn school and she didn’t want to start anything. But the girl’s judgmental nature was getting to the basketball player. 

“I know you don’t actually care about me. You just want to know what I did this time.”

Confusion washed over Shelby’s face before she quickly masked it with a bit of a sad expression. “You are mad at me. I’m not mad at you for knocking down my books. That’s alright with me. If I seemed hostile I didn’t mean it-“

“Fuck!” 

Toni, who was blatantly ignoring Shelby, had just attempted to pull out a piece of plastic that was stuck in her hand from when she crushed the pen. 

Shelby took a couple more steps towards the brunette, still giving her space but also wanting to check up on her. “Hey do you need some help with that?”

Toni turned away from Shelby and tried to pull the piece out again. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit. I cant do it.”

Shelby smirked and took one more step next to Toni. “I can see that miss dirty mouth. Can I help you.”

Toni wanted to say no. She wanted to yell at the girl and ask her why she always stared at her. But she did need help. So she reluctantly stuck out her hand and looked at the floor.

Shelby gently took Toni’s hand in her own, looking over the scrapes and bruises that littered the shorter girl’s hand.

“Now how in the Lord’s name did this happen?”

“Andrew happened that’s what. I have no idea how you could ever date him he’s such an ass- OW SHELBY!”

The Texan tossed the bloody piece in the trash behind her, and then slowly started rinsing Toni’s hand off. “That was my bad I’m sorry. I shoulda given you a warning that’s on me. And to answer your question, I do have my reasons for dating him at one point and I do not appreciate the judgement.”

Toni snorted, looking away from the girl who was now slowly wrapping the captain’s hand with some paper towels. “That’s fucking ironic coming from you.”

Shelby paused for a moment, but after she realized she stopped she continued wrapping. “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

That made Toni scoff, retracting her hand the second Shelby finished her handiwork. “I try to be nice to you and all since this was your home first, but I don’t appreciate you throwing me and my girlfriend the death glare all the time.”

Shelby froze. Is that what Toni thought of her? She thought she liked her. The joke they had in the hallway just yesterday seemed nice enough. Was it fake? What had happened? Did Andrew do something? 

Toni watched as Shelby built her walls up, anything that the girl was thinking was being locked away somewhere in the back of her mind.

When Toni cleared her throat, the blonde seemed to snap out of whatever thought she was having. 

“I don’t throw y’all the death glare. I, I didn’t think you ever saw me. I just, I just thought we were friends or something, you know with the whole, hallway incident.”

Toni laughed, not a real one, one that was laced in a bit of anger. “You think one nice interaction means we’re friends? We aren’t friends. I don’t mind you Shelby, really you seem okay.”

Shelby’s heart was breaking, but she knew this would happen. Things like this always happen. “I can tell there’s a but coming.”

“Regan told me about your whole ‘gays are going to burn in hell’ type of mindset. Yeah and I’m not cool with that.”

Everything in the Texan was telling her to just tell Toni, confide in the other girl and spill out all her confusing and frustrating feelings. 

But she didn’t. She couldn’t. It wasn’t worth the risk. 

Shelby rung her hands and nodded her heads towards Toni’s hand. “You should go to the nurse, I don’t think my paper towel wrap will hold.”

As badly as Toni wanted to pester Shelby about avoiding her accusations, she just pushed past the blonde, whispering a small thank you as she went.

Once Shelby was sure the brunette had left, she started crying. She didn’t know why exactly, it was just a dumb crush she had on the other girl. No not a crush. It couldn’t be a crush. She wouldn’t allow herself to have a crush on the angry basketball captain. 

-

“Jesus Christ Martha, I didn’t know it was possible for anyone to drive this slow.”

Toni and Martha were heading home to Martha’s house, taking the beat up old mini van Martha’s cousin had given her.

Martha whistled, amused with Toni’s attitude. “You’re feisty today.”

Toni crossed her arms and stared out the window, fuming with anger. “Yeah well not being able to play in today’s game fucking sucks.”

“Pfft, please. You’ve had an awful attitude since this morning, what’s wrong?”

Toni avoided any form of eye contact with her best friend. She had been pissy since this morning. And good god she had been such a bitch to Shelby when it wasn’t even Shelby’s fault. 

“It’s nothing Marty.”

“Toni...”

Toni let out a sigh. She knew the other girl wouldn’t stop pestering her until she told her the truth. “These new foster parents are, they just, they hate me. They tell me they hate me actually. And that I’m exhausting and all that fun stuff, which I’m used to. But they were talking about moving this morning and uhm, I don’t think, I don’t want to move again. And I don’t want another new shitty home. For fucks sake I just got to move thirty minutes closer to you only like fucking three weeks ago and now they want to move and they probably want to dump me at the side of the fucking road.” 

Martha had stopped the car at this point. Pulling over to the side of the road to give Toni her full attention. “Toni I am so, so sorry.”

Toni sniffed and wiped at her nose with her good hand, not wanting Martha to see her falling apart again. “Yeah well, shit happens. And it always happens to me so. I’m used to it.”

Martha grabbed Toni’s hand and started squeezing it, knowing that Toni secretly appreciated affection when she was upset. “You shouldn’t have to be used to it.”

“God I was such a bitch to Shelby this morning.”

Martha smiled a little, she was a bit upset that Toni had moved on from the foster parent topic so quickly but she didn’t want to push her. It was hard enough getting through to her best friend. “I thought you liked Shelby.” 

Toni shifted to look at Martha now, her eyes a little puffy and red from crying, but still more composed than before. “I mean yeah I don’t mind her she’s kinda nice, you know. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She patched up my hand though, that was nice.”

“Did you thank her?”

“By insulting her ex and calling her a homophobe.”

“Toni!”

Toni laughed as Martha lightly smacked her arm. “I know! I know! Andrew deserves it to be fair. And I don’t actually know she’s homophobic it’s just what Regan said, I probably shouldn’t of thrown it in her face.”

Martha nodded and smirked. “Probably not. Are you going to apologize?”

Toni sighed again, looking at her hand that was swollen and wrapped in something the nurse had given her. “Yeah, I will. I’m just shit at apologizing, you know that.” 

Martha cleared her throat and held her hand in front of her, pretending to be talking into a microphone. “Shelby, I am so very sorry for being such a raging bitch the other day. It was immature and I apologize. Let’s get some coffee and talk about basketball.”

Toni swatted away Martha’s hand and chuckled. “Shut up. I told you I think she was lying about knowing basketball just to impress me. It didn’t work but I appreciated the effort.”

Martha laughed again, looking at the clock on the dashboard as she did so. “Crap I’m going to be so late to my dentist appointment, want to come with? Or I can drop you off at my house.”

Toni snapped her fingers and readjusted herself so she was sitting her in seat correctly. “Feel free to drop me off at your house I really do not want to be at the dentist, that place is literal hell.”

“You’re telling me.”

“Good luck Marty, thanks for the talk. By the way, do you happen to have Shelby’s number?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi this chapter was more angsty and stuff because i needed to set up toni’s story to build off of since it’s mainly been shelby focused. the basketball game will still be happening next chapter. leave a comment if youd like ty for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> hi!! this is my first time posting a fic / writing something other than a one shot so idk how this is going to go. i hope y'all liked the first chapter, i really wanted to see a dot and shelby friendship so i made it about them for a little bit. but next chapter will be more centered around shoni don't worry ;).


End file.
